No Pavel, No Cup

[LionsAndRedwingsAndPistonsOhMy 3]

At the start, I thought that with Dats 100%, we win in 5. Dats at 50%, we win in 6. No Dats at all or 25% Dats, we win in 7. He makes a HUGE difference in how our team plays on both ends. Losing either him or Hank hurts the normal chemistry.

[BewareThePenguin 1]

I sincerely, desperately and willfully hope Pavel Datsyuk plays Saturday Night. And for the rest of the series.

[esteef 2,679]

I sincerely, desperately and willfully hope Pavel Datsyuk plays Saturday Night. And for the rest of the series.

Desparately?

esteef

[StormJH1 231]

It's not fair to compare Pavel to Yzerman in 2002, especially when we don't even know what Pavel's injury is. Other than the fact that we've seen him skate a few times, I haven't seen anything that definitively tells me it's a foot as opposed to a groin, knee, or anything else! Also, Yzerman had pretty much become a player-captain by 2002. Still a very good player, but that team was loaded with scoring, and Steve Yzerman never put up 20 goals in a season again after his 99-2000 season (amazing but true, and mostly due to injury).

It's amazing to think that we got up 2 to 0 in this series led mostly by Chris Osgood, Justin Abdelkader, and Darren Helm...with that trend, I'm not surprised it's 2-2 now whatsoever.

[BewareThePenguin 1]

Desparately?

esteef

Yep, for two reasons:

1. I like seeing games featuring the best players.

2. As a Pens fan, I want the team to beat Detroit WITH Datsyuk in the line-up, so we can put an end to all this advance excuse-making by so many Wings fans. None of this "yeah they beat us but if Datsyuk had played..." which we'd be hearing all off-season.

Don't underestimate reason #1 btw.

[DatsMyWings13 4]

Yep, for two reasons:

1. I like seeing games featuring the best players.

2. As a Pens fan, I want the team to beat Detroit WITH Datsyuk in the line-up, so we can put an end to all this advance excuse-making by so many Wings fans. None of this "yeah they beat us but if Datsyuk had played..." which we'd be hearing all off-season.

Don't underestimate reason #1 btw.

Careful what you wish for.

Datsyuk will be a huge boost for the Wings.

[marcaractac 3,963]

It's not fair to compare Pavel to Yzerman in 2002, especially when we don't even know what Pavel's injury is. Other than the fact that we've seen him skate a few times, I haven't seen anything that definitively tells me it's a foot as opposed to a groin, knee, or anything else! Also, Yzerman had pretty much become a player-captain by 2002. Still a very good player, but that team was loaded with scoring, and Steve Yzerman never put up 20 goals in a season again after his 99-2000 season (amazing but true, and mostly due to injury).

It's amazing to think that we got up 2 to 0 in this series led mostly by Chris Osgood, Justin Abdelkader, and Darren Helm...with that trend, I'm not surprised it's 2-2 now whatsoever.

Agreed. An injured foot is MUCH different than an injured knee. I often have tendonitis flare up in either my left knee, or right foot. Sometimes both. If I was able to get rid of just one of them, it would be the foot hands down. It's much easier to suffer through a bad knee than it is a bad foot. It's night and day between the two in my opinion.

[BewareThePenguin 1]

Careful what you wish for.

Datsyuk will be a huge boost for the Wings.

I have no doubt he will be.

It's just, well I'm a bit confused. First the Pens weren't going to be a prob, our third line could outplay their first, our incredible depth will overcome their two-man team etc. etc. etc.

Now all of a sudden the Pens have won, but only because Dats wasn't in the lineup.

I just don't get it.

That's just me though.

[10 Minute Misconduct 104]

We do need Datsyuk. He better suck it up and play. I'm sick of him cracking jokes like were in the 20th game of the regular season saying he's "healthy", and then sitting out.

[DatsMyWings13 4]

I have no doubt he will be.

It's just, well I'm a bit confused. First the Pens weren't going to be a prob, our third line could outplay their first, our incredible depth will overcome their two-man team etc. etc. etc.

Now all of a sudden the Pens have won, but only because Dats wasn't in the lineup.

I just don't get it.

That's just me though.

I never claimed the Pens would not be a problem. I planned on this being a series the whole time. However if Datsyuk was in the lineup from the beginning I think we'd be up 3 games to 1 at this point and time.

Go Wings!

[Echolalia 2,961]

I have no doubt he will be.

It's just, well I'm a bit confused. First the Pens weren't going to be a prob, our third line could outplay their first, our incredible depth will overcome their two-man team etc. etc. etc.

Now all of a sudden the Pens have won, but only because Dats wasn't in the lineup.

I just don't get it.

That's just me though.

I'm of the opinion that the Pens won the past two games due to a s***ty performance on special teams by the Wings (and I'm definitely not alone in this matter). Normally our even strength play combined with keeping Crosby off the board is enough to overcome Malkin's fury, however the Wings had a sloppy second period yesterday and essentially handed your team scoring chance after scoring chance, which your team capitalized on (and kudos is given where deserved). If Datsyuk is in the lineup, Malkin is suddenly going to have a lot less free ice to play on, and the Pens are going to have to rely on their third and fourth lines even more, thus exploiting the Pens lack of depth (at least relative to the Wings).

[esteef 2,679]

Careful what you wish for.

Datsyuk will be a huge boost for the Wings.

No doubt. That's the rationale people were using with regard to the Malkin non-suspension. "Oh, it'll only be better when we beat them that Malkin was in the lineup." Considering Malkin's Game 3, I wonder how they feel about that now?

esteef

[10 Minute Misconduct 104]

I don't think Datsyuk will be as effective as we think. I think he'll be more of a boost then anythiung. How healthy will he be if he couldnt play yesterday?

Are they just throwing him in because at this point were desperate? If so, i don't think he's gonna fly in with his superman cape and save us.

[esteef 2,679]

2. As a Pens fan, I want the team to beat Detroit WITH Datsyuk in the line-up, so we can put an end to all this advance excuse-making by so many Wings fans. None of this "yeah they beat us but if Datsyuk had played..." which we'd be hearing all off-season.

Please man, do you think the Pens would have a chance in Hell if either Crosby or Malkin were out of the playoffs for 6 games? It's a valid excuse.

esteef

[Echolalia 2,961]

I don't think Datsyuk will be as effective as we think. I think he'll be more of a boost then anythiung. How healthy will he be if he couldnt play yesterday?

Are they just throwing him in because at this point were desperate? If so, i don't think he's gonna fly in with his superman cape and save us.

I'm not expecting him to be a goal scorer when he comes back, and I don't think Babs is either. All I want from him is to effectively neutralize Malkin, and Zetterberg to get back on track against Crosby. Helm and Franzen and Stuart and Ericsson can continue to create scoring chances.

Also, I wonder if the Wings are being extra cautious with Dats because he's such a big part of our team. I wouldn't put it past Holland to wait until Dats is 100% (or at least make sure he's completely healthy enough to play) before throwing him in with the lions. If he were to get hurt at 50%, it might drastically affect his career, and thus the Wings' future. Everybody was surprised that he couldn't play yesterday, despite reports saying that he felt fine and looked fine and was skating effectively. But I'm also delusional, and this is the Finals, so what do I know?

[BewareThePenguin 1]

Getting Datsyuk in the lineup will be like getting two stars back because I have a feeling with Dats on his line, Hossa will be much better.

I have to agree there. Hossa can't do it on his own, he needs a star center like he did in Pittsburgh to piggyback.

Makes the Wings doubly dangerous.

[BewareThePenguin 1]

Please man, do you think the Pens would have a chance in Hell if either Crosby or Malkin were out of the playoffs for 6 games? It's a valid excuse.

esteef

Ah but again -- all I heard before the series was that the Pens would be little problem, regardless.

And I do believe having Sid or Geno out for the Pens would more of a problem for Pittsburgh -- the drop-off to the next level of talent is more drastic than say to Cleary for you guys.

[RockyMountainWingGal 108]

Datsyuk was the team MVP during the regular season. The Wings can overcome a team like the Hawks sans Datsyuk. But to state the obvious, going through a whole SCF without him is taking its toll. Wings and Datsyuk need to figure out a way to get him on the ice for game 5, even for limited minutes, even at 50% - he would be a huge momentum lifter no matter how effective...

Imagine the Pens sans Malkin for the first 4 games - series would be over......

[Snazzy 0]

If we don't get a healthy Pavel back, we will not win the cup.

We need him on both sides of the puck.

Half true.

Datsyuk = Cup

No Datsyuk = More difficult to win Cup

[Husker BigGuy 0]

The remarks here that someone thinks Pavel is superman (Yzerman?) or a one-man team must not be watching what's going on.

Zetterberg is getting gassed. Even if Pavel was 8 minutes of Z, we win this series.

As far as the Pens being all that, frankly, I don't think we beat the Ducks without Pavel, either, if he's out 5 games or so.

Hudler can makes some Datsyukian plays at center sometimes. That doesn't mean he can give us 8 minutes of Pavel.

If Pavel comes back, and we lose Z, or Lids - or maybe even Hossa - we don't win a cup either. No one is trying to say that Pavel is the face of the Red Wings (or the league). He's our MVP this year, a Hart candidate, and we miss him badly.

Badly enough that it can cost us the cup.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

One person alone does not win or lose a Stanley Cup for you. While Datsyuk would certainly help, it is not the end-all determiniation of if the Wings will win or not. They can win without him if it has to be that way. This series is far from over.

[Vladifan 680]

everybody is talking about Datsyuk, were in the hell is hossa and homer.

it would be great to get pavs back, but hossa and homer need to step up.

They can't always step up if other players aren't drawing the enemy away from a possible shot on goal. There have got to be experienced, speedy decoys out there to help set up plays.

[eva unit zero 271]

I have to agree there. Hossa can't do it on his own, he needs a star center like he did in Pittsburgh to piggyback.

Makes the Wings doubly dangerous.

Hossa never had a star center UNTIL his short stint in Pittsburgh (during which he outplayed Crosby), yet he was always one of the league's most dangerous scorers and power forwards while playing very good defense.

[Husker BigGuy 0]

Got Pavel?

[Kira 451]

Well, after watching him tonight, my faith is increased immensely. I think the Pens are out of ink.